Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Seminar on the Americas

LACS 320: Fall, 2008

Instructor: Dr. Nancy Mandlove

Olin 115 F, Ext. 4505

mandlovenb@wofford.edu

Texts John Charles Chasteen, Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America Candace Slater, Entangled Edens: Visions of the Amazon Charles C. Mann, 1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus NACLA Report on the Americas (selected articles available through Wofford College Library databases on line) Other articles and handouts Useful resources The Latin American Information Network Center (lanic) at the University of Texas is an excellent resource for all aspects of the study of Latin America. http://lanic.utexas.edu Latin American Studies Association--links to many resources http://lasa.international.pitt.edu/links.html Maps of Latin America and specific countries http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/americas.html Library of Congress country studies (Excellent resources for detailed history of individual countries. Check dates-some are outdated for current situations.) Available for Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, DR, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru Uruguay, Venezuela http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html

Course Description: An interdisciplinary seminar focusing on the historical, political, social, and cultural interrelationships of the nations in our hemisphere. It concentrates on the historical and cultural foundations of Latin America and the Caribbean and explores the topics of pre-columbian cultures, Spain in the Americas, race and identity, rural and urban life, authoritarianism and democracy, and national development. The course is conducted in English. . Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation. Goals: 1. To acquire knowledge of the diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural identities of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean and of the historical context that produced such diversity 2. To foster understanding of the challenges and successes of national economic, social, and political development in Latin America and the Caribbean 3. To develop understanding of the geographical diversity of Latin America and of the interrelationship between land and people. Technology Skills: Students will need basic knowledge of word processing, PowerPoint, web page construction, and multimedia computer programs. Instructor will give help and demonstrations. Student assistants are available in the Foreign Language Multimedia Lab to help you with these programs.

Date

Class

Preparation

Lab Assignments

9/1 M	Introduction Sights & Sounds of Latin America
9/3 W	Stereotypes and Reality Land and People	List what you think are 10 common stereotypes concerning Latin America. Write 5 questions you have about L.A. BBF, "First Stop, the Present," 15-23	Lab 1: Film Due 9/10

Unit 1: The People and the Land

Home

Resources:American Roots

9/5 F	Race, Geography, Identity Brazil and the Caribbean Mirrors of the Heart, Americas video #6	Read: Americas Study Guide 6, 61-67 Antonio Guimaraes, "Race, Class and Color Behind Brazil's 'Racial Democracy',"NACLA, XXXIV, 6, May/June, 2001, 38-39 Sheila Walker, "Africanity vs. Blackness: Race, Class and Culture in Brazil," NACLA, xxxv, 6, May/June, 2002, 16-20 Study maps: countries, capitals, major geographical features for countries at left.. General map sites: Atlapedia and National Geographic. For more detailed maps: UTLANIC
9/8 M	The Andean countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina Mirrors of the Heart, Americas video #6	Study maps: countries, capitals, major geographical features for countries at left. Read: "Only My Hairdresser Knows for Sure":Stories of Race, Hair and Gender," NACLA, XXXIV, 6, May/June, 2001, 35-37 Read: "Reconstructing Race: Racisim, Culture and Mestizaje in Latin America," NACLA, XXXIV, 6, May/June, 2001, 16-23
9/10 W	Race, Geography, Identity Mexico and Central America	Read: Mann, 1491: "A View from Above," 1-27
9/12 F	Amazonia	Write a 2 page (minimum) paper describing in as much detail as possible "your experience" in the Amazon. Click here for more instructions. Study maps to determine location of Amazon Basin, geographical features, countries, Amazon River and tributaries Read: Slater, "The Meeting of the Waters," pp. 1-22.
9/15 M	Test 1 : maps, land, people	Prepare for test

Unit 2: American Roots

Home

Resources:American Roots

9/17 W	Indigenous Culture and World View The Inca	Mann, 1491: "Land of 4 Quarters," 62-96 Lab 1 Due	Lab 2: Film Due 9/24
9/19 F	Video:The Great Inca Rebellion (Nova )	The Great Inca Rebellion Click on the four sections on this PBS webpage and read all the information.
9/22 M	The Maya	Read: Excerpts from the Popol Vuh. Part I, ch. 1-3; Part III, ch. 1-2; Part IV, ch. 12. (Handouts) Explore these sites: Mayan sites map, Mayan civilization
9/24 W	The Maya	Mann, 1491:"Writing, Wheels, Bucket Brigades," pp. 243-270; "Made in America," 273-279 Lab 2 Due	Lab 3: Film Due 10/1
9/26 F	The Aztecs Guest Presentation: Dr. Susan Griswold	Mann, 1491: "Frequently Asked Questions" ("Flowers and Song," 124-148
9/29 M	Guest Presentation: Dr. Timothy Schmitz, The European World View	Read: The Mediterranean World (thru section "Europe Claims America." BBF, "Encounter," 25-57
10/1 W	Encounter	Lab 3 Due
10/3 F	Columbus  America as Myth America as Invention	Slater, "El Dorado and the Golden Legacy," pp. 29-53
10/6 M	The Collision Columbus, Cortés, Pizarro	Excerpts: Columbus, Cortez, Las Casas (handouts). Mann, 1491: "Cotton (or Anchovies) and Maize," 193-227 (deals with the Colombian Exchange)
10/8 W	God, Gold, and Glory	Slater, "Amazon Women," 77-128 ("Warrior Women, Virgin Forests, and Green Hells;" Gold As Woman"
10/10 F	Life in Colonial America The Columbian Exchange	Read: BBF, "The Colonial Crucible," 63-91 Read biography of Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz Read information, including links List-Columbian exchange
10/13 M	Test 2	Prepare for test
10/15 W	The Indigenous World Today Guest Speaker-Witness for Peace: Marco Antonio Velasquez Navarrete Topic: NAFTA-Impact on Farmers and Immigration	Read: "500 Years of Sacrifice before Alien Gods" Rigoberta Menchú We Say No, 303-316 ("Othercide: For Five Centuries the Rainbow Has Been Banned from America's Sky")	Lab 4: Film Due 10/22
10/17 F	Video: "The Last Conquistador," controversy in El Paso
10/20 M	Begin work on projects--groups
10/22 W	Latin American & Caribbean Studies Service Learning opportunities	Turn in group report from Monday, 10/20 Lab 4 Due	Lab 5: Film Due 10/31
10/24 F	Fall Break

Unit 3: Africa in the Americas

Resources:American Roots

10/27 M	Africa in the Americas: the Caribbean	Americas Anthology, pp. 28-40
10/27 Mon. 6:00	Mark your calendar Latin American Studies Dinner at Dr. Mandlove's house	Foods of the Columbian Exchange
10/29 W	Africa in the Americas: Haiti and the Haitian Revolution	Franklin W. Knight, "The Haitian Revolution," in The American Historical Review Vol. 105, Issue 1	Lab 6: Film Due 11/7
10/31 F	Africa in the Americas: the African Diaspora and Afro-Indian cultures: Brazil (Palmares), Garífuna, Surinam, Esmeraldas, Florida	Read information on Afro-Cuban history Problems, "The Black Legions," 29-34 "Creativity and Resistance: Maroon Cultures in the Americas," Kenneth Bilby and Diana Baird N'Diaye Lab 5 Due
11/3 M	African Cultural Contributions

Unit 4: Dilemmas of Development

Home

Resources: Argentina

Brazil

11/5 W	Overview: Independence to Today; The legacy of colonialism; Development issues	Use the information studied in the unit on American Roots to write a one page paper "predicting" the legacy of colonialism. What do you see in those "roots" which may lead to long-term consequences?	Lab 7: Film Due 11/12
11/7 F	Economic systems	SG, Unit 3, 22-34 Read: BBF, "Postcolonial Blues," 119-147 Lab 6 Due
11/10 M	Argentina: A Case Study From Perón to the Dirty War	NACLA, "The Unofficial Story," Mar/Apr 94, 11-14; NACLA, "Minefields of Memory," Sept/Oct 98, 23-29
11/12 W	Argentina in Crisis Video: "Argentina: Growth or Disappearance"	(short articles) BBF, "Neoliberalism," 307-321 Lab 8 Due
11/14 F	Globalization	Joseph Stiglitz, Globalization and Its Discontents, "The Promise of Global Institutions," 3-22
11/17 M	Summary and Projects
11/19 W	The Brazilian Amazon	Slater, "Roots of the Rainforest," 133-157
11/21 F	Test 3

Unit 5: Development Issues and the Rainforest

Home

Resources: Rainforest

11/24 M	Development and the Rainforest	Slater, "Lakes within Lakes," pp.158-181
11/26-28	Thanksgiving Vacation
12/1 M	Amazonia Project Work	Slater, "Beyond Eden," 183-204
12/3 W	Project Work
12/5 F	Project Work

Exam Week 12/10 - - 9:00 A.M.

Class Project Presentation

Final Paper Due

Grading